THE distress of missing Madeleine McCann’s parents was “multiplied a hundred times” after a police chief accused them of being involved in her disappearance, a court heard yesterday.

Madeleine McCann disappeared while her and her family were on holiday in Portugal in 2007 [PA]

Gerry McCann’s sister Trish Cameron told how he and his wife Kate have been left in “purgatory” since Portuguese investigator Goncalo Amaral alleged they covered up the death of Madeleine, who disappeared aged three while on holiday in Portugal with her parents in 2007.

Mrs Cameron, 53, revealed harrowing details of Kate and Gerry’s torment after the publication of the former detective’s 2008 book The Truth Of The Lie and the screening of an accompanying video documentary about the tragedy on Portuguese television.

Mrs Cameron told how Mr Amaral’s allegations “demonised and dehumanised” the couple and had a worse effect than when they were named as arguidos (suspects) in the case.

With her voice quaking with emotion, Mrs Cameron said: “My brother and sister-in-law live in purgatory because they have no end and they are looking for the truth.

“They would like an end but there is no end because they don’t know what’s happened.”

Mrs Cameron was giving evidence at Lisbon’s Palace of Justice at a £1million libel trial brought by the McCanns against Mr Amaral.

She told the hearing how she travelled 330 miles from Glasgow to the McCanns’ home in Rothley, Leics, when the former detective’s book was published.

Madeleine's father Gerry McCann arrives for the libel case in Lisbon yesterday [EPA]

Mrs Cameron said: “I had a phone call from my brother, a cry for help.Kate was in a very low mood. She was doing solitary things. She was almost torturing herself. She went running long, long distances by herself.

“She was going to church and praying on a daily basis. She wouldn’t go out at all. She wouldn’t go to a shop.

“Their arguido status was bad and they were very upset and angry about that but with this they were much more emotionally low. After the video the people in Portugal turned against them completely. Everyone was too scared to come forward with information so no one was looking for Madeleine.

“The reason was that lots of people had read the book. They had also watched the video that was made by the police inspector who had been in charge of the case. It gave it credibility and people believed it.

“They were vilified in this book so their distress was multiplied a hundred times.

“This pain was felt by all of their family because we still have a missing child and we knew that what is in there is not true.”

Former Portuguese police chief Goncalo Amaral who wrote the book accusing the McCanns of a cover-up

The reason was that lots of people had read the book. They had also watched the video that was made by the police inspector who had been in charge of the case. It gave it credibility and people believed it